Black Haze/Elements This Story Contains
A little humor for you all, but so right in so many ways! SOURCE Academy of Adventure: A school where adventure is boundless, weirdness is everywhere, and anything that could happen, will happen. Teachers turning out to be villains, strange beings stalking the school grounds, random (or maybe not so random) students getting kidnapped while the Unlikely Hero has to chase after them... Never a dull day, no matter how boring the classes are. *Example: Helios Academy Affectionate Gesture to the Head: Adults will pat the head of a child to show them they've done well, tousle the child's hair affectionately to take the sting out of a teasing comment, or do one of the former in a playfully patronizing way. It can also be done from one adult to another if one feels protective and affectionate of the other, or just wants to annoy them. *Example: Rood Chrishi gives one to Dio Varus in his baby dragon form in Chapter 72, paralleling a similar gesture given to the latter by someone from his past. Almighty Janitor: The Almighty Janitor is that character who is near the bottom of the scale in terms of rank, but is at the top in terms of what he can actually accomplish. *Example: Rood's status at Helios Academy is as a student and magician-in-training of the lowest class. In actuality, he's really one of the world's most powerful magicians and most likely better than the teachers. Amnesiac Hero: This is when the hero has amnesia, whether he'/'''she only forgets a portion of their lives, or all of it. Usually, the Amnesiac Hero: 1) Has amazing fighting skills, but no idea how he got them. This makes his origin even more mysterious. 2) Is found by a handsome'/'beautiful character, who helps them on their journey to remembering who they are. (Or not) 3) Has a dark and depressing past that they probably don't want to remember anyway. *Example: Rood, whose first memory is being chained by the foot in a dark room with a corpse, before being discovered (and presumably rescued) by Master. '''An Ice Person:' The power to control ice, and create cold and frost at will. *Example: Professor Rowell's Awakened form is an icy version of herself with corresponding magic. Art Evolution: When an artist begins drawing a series for the first time, chances are that the art and character designs will be crude or basic due to lack of practice. As the artist gains expertise during the run of the series, there will be a gradual shift in the art as rough lines are smoothed out and designs refined. This evolution normally stops when they are satisfied with the art quality and it crystallizes into its final stage for the rest of the series. *Example: The series undergoes quite a dynamic one, as can be seen when comparing earlier chapters with the more recent ones. Axe Crazy: An "ax-crazy" character is someone who is psychologically unstable ("Unstable" is an excessively mild term here, because it implies that some residual stability may still be present.) Being Ax-Crazy usually implies that most of the entire substructure of sanity is gone and presents a clear and present danger to others. *Example: Shicmuon seems (relatively) sane as long as Rood isn't present, but as soon as the chance to fight him comes up, all other considerations go out the window, including things like the lives of any bystanders. Bad Liar: When a character is unable to lie in a convincing way and comes up with really silly lies that fool no one. *Example: Rood, incredibly so. It's no surprise people like Professor Rowell are so suspicious of him. ::The Charmer: ::Cocky, cheeky and devil-may-care, he's the type of guy you can't help but like, even as he's wrapping you around his little finger. ::*Example: In spite of Rood's 'Bad Liar' characteristic, he's also very persuasive when he needs to be, and can get what he wants with ease, just as long as he isn't going in blind. Typically, it's Master who forces out his Bad Liar tendencies by throwing him into unfamiliar territory without his prior knowledge or consent. Battle Aura: When psyching themselves up for battle, warriors emit a flashy glow, or in this story's case, mana is seen wrapped around their bodies *Example: A magician in their awakened mode has this. Because You Were Nice to Me: A character, sometimes the 'Butt Monkey' of a given work, is treated for the first time in their lives with genuine kindness and friendship. As is such, they will be exceptionally loyal to their benefactor, even if the benefactor admits that it was all a lie. *Example: Downplayed with Lidusis. Prior to meeting Rood, he was so unused to being treated kindly that he experiences genuine fear when Rood attempts to get close to him. Once he gets over his aversion and realizes Rood is here to stay, he becomes extremely attached to him and borderline codependent to the point that he goes out looking for him one night when Rood doesn't return to their room, fearing that he's left Helios. Rood himself acknowledges Lidusis's attachment and gently tries to wean him so that he can stand on his own once he's gone. Big Man on Campus: The 'Big Man on Campus' is the most popular or feared guy in the school. He can be handsome, charming, have superb skills in relation to the rest, and is usually pretty smart. *Example: Chevel Phon Hadelio Black Eyes of Crazy: Some characters just need a way to show off how undeniably evil they are. Unfortunately, pure black eyes just seem too monochrome and don't allow said character to show off an extra spark of insanity. Cue the 'Black Eyes Of Crazy'. In these cases, the sclerae'/'''sclera (the whites of the eyes) are black, while the pupil and iris can be of a different color or shape. *Example: Rubymonter's eyes get like this when she gets sufficiently agitated. '''Blinding Bangs:' A character with 'Blinding Bangs' has a mop of hair that completely obscures his or her eyes — and sometimes the whole face. The character's eyes are covered all or most of the time, to the point we rarely, if ever, see them, and can even wonder whether this person even has eyes. *Example: Lidusis has these before his Important Haircut. Blood from the Mouth: A character who is either dying or badly injured when they start bleeding from the mouth. *Example: A non-fatal example happens with Dio after he's stabbed by Lispen. He coughs up a good deal of blood in a short amount of time, another indicator that he's not human. Break the Cutie: A character who can be sweet and lovable, making you adore them. Unfortunately, the writers proceed to slowly torment them in front of your very eyes. They destroy everything important to them; kill everyone they love and make them suffer from horrible accidents, diseases and acts of violence, including but not limited to torture or any other Fate Worse Than Death. They beat the character with one cruel stroke of fate after another until they are just an Empty Shell of their former cheerful, carefree self. *Example: Both Lidusis and Chevel have had this done to them, the former by his constant bullying, general neglect as a child, and through witnessing the brutal demise of his friend, Ibriel, and believing himself responsible. The latter was broken by Ibriel's death as well, she being his younger sister. Break Them by Talking: When one character gives a talk to another that does, or is meant to somehow break down the recipient or gain a psychological advantage over them by claiming uncomfortable things that they cannot deny. *Example: Lidusis' older brother has continuously tried to ingrain into Lis' head that he's a 'Monster' and that bad things happen to and around him because of it, therefore, he should just keep to himself so nobody gets hurt because of him. For the most part, it's worked, though Rood has gradually been pulling him out of it. Bully Brutality: The typical bully can be a 'Jerkass' who will harm their victim but verbal or physical abuse. *Example: The bullying of Lidusis is present when Manon and some of the other Klads bind him to a target board and instruct his classmates to hurl heavy mana stones at him, with extra points being given to those who manage to hit "the decoration" (i.e. him). Butt Monkey: The character who is always the butt of the demeaning joke or the "put them through hell" plot-line. For whatever reason, the Butt Monkey seems to walk through life with a permanent "Kick Me" sign attached to their backs, invisible to them, but all too visible to the rest of the world. Nothing ever goes right for this character, and if something bad is going to happen to someone, chances are it's going to happen to them. Long story short, it sucks to be the Butt Monkey. *Example1: Elzeble tends to play this role both within and without Rubymonter's group — the poor man rarely gets any respect from his comrades or otherwise. *Example2: After his stint as 'The Bully' and a healthy dose of 'Character Development', Chevel has been relegated to this post, especially amongst Rood and the other Hereis. By The Power Of Grey Skull: You are, more or less, not allowed to transform to your super-powered alter-ego without ranting some special key-phrase. This phrase may or may not be descriptive, but it should almost certainly be short and brief. *Example: The magicians activate their awakened mode by saying "My Name is ___ Awaken". They cancel their awakened mode in very much the same way. Cast Full of Pretty Boys: An array of pretty people as eye candy isn't just for the guys. Girls get their 'Cast Full of Pretty Boys' to ogle too in the name of fan-service. *Example: Most every male character, be they young or older, qualifies. Cheshire Cat Grin: A smile is supposed to be a reassuring expression, indicating happiness and complete absence of angst and danger. If someone's smiling, it means all is well with the world... unless it's a Cheshire Cat Grin, which always denotes that someone's in for it. *Example: Rood smiles like this a lot, usually as a preface to getting his way. Child Mage: You've seen it before. For lack of a better introduction, the main magic user in the game or story happens to be the youngest or one of the younger people in the group. *Example: Rood, and some of the other students at the Helios Academy. Combat Tentacles: Tentacles used for combat. More specifically, throwing cars at people or strangling them or impaling them or crushing them. They may also be used as (somewhat over-sized) whips or bludgeoning weapons, as a tentacle is basically a flexible mass of muscle, and as such can impart a lot of force. *Example: Certain low-level demons use these as their main mode of attack. ::Tentacle Rope: ::Basically when tentacles are used to grab and restrain. Can be played for laughs or horror; seeing a character get muffled by a pissed-off octopus can be hilarious, seeing a character get crushed by said octopus, not so much. ::*Example: They also use them to bind their prey. During the attack on Helios, Rood fakes out Shic to get him tied up by one in order to keep him from following him. Shic doesn't take this well, and the two end up fighting some more, inevitably ending when both get tied up, multiple times. Dark Is Not Evil: Well... no one actually mentioned them doing bad things; in fact, they may actually be pretty good guys. *Example: Rood is the Black Magician, Blow, and his power manifests in black swaths of energy. Dark and Troubled Past: Much like a 'Mysterious Past', except more tragic and troubled. Don't expect it to be revealed all at once, or sometimes at all. *Example 1: Rood is an amnesiac who was found chained in a room with a corpse. *Example 2: Lidusis and Chevel share one to an extent, where the latter's younger sister was killed by a demon and the former took the blame for it due to being the sole witness and surviving the attack. Lis is haunted by flashbacks of the incident, convinced he's a 'Monster' because of it, and Chevel is persistent in making sure he doesn't forget. *Example 3: Opion's master seems to have had one as well since he's apparently the only survivor of some sort of ritual that took place eight years ago, during which he allegedly committed a crime severe enough to warrant an arrest for it later. Distressed Dude: Meet the male equivalent of the 'Damsel in Distress'. *Example: Lidusis needs to be rescued and protected by Rood on multiple occasions. It doesn't help that he's targeted by everyone from the school bullies to his own elder brother and servant, or that he's an Idun who knows next to no magic. Looks Like a Lady: Whether it is due to their gorgeous hair, delicate features, snazzy dressing, or fey nature, some boys get called "little lady" more often than they'd like. *Example: Kan Embarrassing Nickname: It may be a nickname with a horribly embarrassing story behind it, or something family members or lovers use only when they're alone. *Example 1: Princess Yutiarien, not knowing who he really is, names Dio in his baby dragon form "Ming Ming," which causes him to get laughed at by one of his allies. *Example 2: Being called Lanoste's Dog is sure to trigger Van's 'Berserk Button'. Everyone Calls Him Barkeep: A character that is a "victim" of being only known by his job title or some other descriptive name, or an obscure or odd word that functions as an unusual nickname. *Example: For over 100 chapters, Opion's Master was known simply as... Master. Chapter 110 finally reveals his name to be Kielnode Chrishi. Everything's Better with Princesses: Being a princess may not even affect the plot in any meaningful way, and the audience may get the sense that princessdom is just a quick way to give a female character a sense of specialness, with no pesky obligations to a family or kingdom that might get in the way of having adventures. *Example: Yutiarien is the empire's princess, but she's also enrolled as a student at Helios and protected by two attendants. Evil Teacher: So you have a cruel, mean, bully of a teacher, that's going to make school life pretty harsh right? Well it could be worse, they could actually be evil. This includes mooks and murderers whose day job is teaching, all way up to 'Big Bads' who pose as teachers as part of the masquerade. *Example: Professor Heil, who became part demon and attempted to sadistically murder his entire class. Fiery Redhead: A 'Fiery Redhead' is a red-haired character who can be strong, passionate, outgoing, or usually outspoken. He'/'''She has a big personality and they're not afraid to use it. Whatever you do, don't get on their bad side, or there will be hell to pay. *Example: Shic. When he Awakens, his hair gets even redder, and his temper gets hotter. '''Functional Magic:' Magic that works. Maybe not exactly the way anyone wanted it to work, but it is not imaginary in the story and you may rely on it to do something. *Example: The magicians study magic in a school. ::Summon Magic: ::Summon Magic is basically the ability to call on a magical, often mythological entity without the hassle of actually having it follow you around. ::*Example: Demons were summoned near the beginning of the series. Gender-Blender Name: Most of the time, one can guess somebody's gender by reading his/her first name. Most first names have a well-defined gender, such as Alice or Robert.... Well, most. *Example: Both Kan and Cynthia are male. Geometric Magic: Special powers that, somehow, rely on the power of traced shapes and diagrams to function. Almost always a circular design, with additional shapes of varying complexity inside the circle. *Example: A magic circle can be used to teleport between places. Get Ahold Of Yourself Man: The hero has just gone off the deep end and grows increasingly hysterical or unresponsive at a time when his team needs his unaffected ability the most. How do you fix them? The same way you fix a defective piece of technology of course! With a POW to the kisser! *Example: Blow, while his body is on autopilot from Rubymonter's magic, gets this treatment courtesy of Shic, of all people, who punches him twice (one of which lands, the other of which is dodged) and demands that he pulls himself together. ::Shic: "Hey, Blackie. Didn't you have a reason for being here? If so, snap out of it!" Good Cop/Bad Cop: One cop behaves in a very threatening and menacing way towards the suspect, while the other appears sympathetic, helpful and protective. The suspect is expected to be cooperative with the "good cop". *Example: A rather unusual, inverted example appears in Chapter 67, where it's the detainee (Diorook) who uses this method to try to get Rood to untie him, first employing 'Crocodile Tears' and the old "weren't we friends?" line, then, when that doesn't work, reverting back to his 'Hellish Pupils' and threatening to destroy the school and everyone in it if Rood doesn't release him. Neither works, but Rood does let him go soon after because he doesn't think Dio will kill anyone, recalling the incident where, in his dragon form, he saved Lin Noa in Ishuella. Guile Hero: The 'Guile Hero' is a hero who operates by playing politics and manipulating the bad guys. *Example: Despite being a bona-fide 'Action Hero', Rood (and to a lesser extent, Blow) definitely qualifies, preferring to settle conflicts as quietly as possible and without the flashiness of combat. Hair-Trigger Temper: A character with a hair-trigger temper flies into a rage at the slightest provocation. *Example: Shic, especially in regards to anything to do with Blow. Headbutt of Love: When you find a friend in a state of great emotional distress, the appropriate response is a three-step process: Hug them, kiss their forehead, then press your forehead against theirs. Murmuring soothing words or wiping away their tears is optional. *Example: To show he's not angry, Blow affectionately bonks baby dragon Dio with his forehead while telling him that he doesn't need to apologize just as long as he doesn't do anything he should have to be sorry for. Hellish Pupils: A character's pupils are slitted like a cat's or snake's, or rectangular like a sheep's or goat's, to indicate that they're channeling something nasty (or that they are nasty, period). *Example 1: Dio Varus has them in his demon form and accidentally in his human form. *Example 2: In Chapter 111, Lispen gets them as well, revealing himself as a demon. Hot Teacher: The Hot Teacher is a young and attractive person who pursues a career in education. *Example 1: Professor Rowell of Helios. *Example 2: For the ladies, there's Orphell, a magician from the Tower acting as a teacher at Helios. Humans Are The Real Monsters: Since opposing races tend to be sufficiently advanced or incredibly large and/or powerful, any action of wanting or invading can be seen as worse. However, the tides turn where humans seem to fit this category instead of whatever creature they are fighting. *Example: Both Rubymonter and Lispen seem to think this way, though neither of them sees any harm in killing off random innocent humans, the latter even doing so casually and with no justification. Furthermore, he murdered 212 humans in his various attempts at hiding the demon king's power within them, with Lidusis being his 213th attempt and his only success. I'll Kill You!: Someone threatens to kill someone else, often by yelling it at the top of their lungs or by simply saying it calmly. *Example 1: Pretty much Shic's 'Stock Phrase' in regards to Blow. He has yet to carry it out, though not for lack of trying. *Example 2: This is actually reversed in Chapter 105, where Blow says it to Shic to show that he's completely serious. In the Back: Only a 'Dirty Coward' would shoot someone in the back. Or even knife him. *Example: Lispen stabs Diorook in the back without giving him a chance to explain himself, despite Orphell having just ordered that they talk it out before doing anything rash. Ill Boy: The 'Ill Boy' is almost inevitably a sympathetically cute character. The disease can be anything from anemia to organ failure. *Example: Rood pretends to be one as part of his cover story to explain why he was a month late joining the class. Of course, he doesn't play up the act very well, causing both Professor Rowell and later Shic to become suspicious of him. Important Haircut: When a character cuts off his or her hair, it often symbolizes a rite of passage or bout of character growth. *Example: Lidusis gets one in Chapter 56, when his friends think he needs an image change. The result exceeds expectations. Improbable Age: A character whose age seems inappropriate with their occupation or position given the amount of experience they would need, whether or not said age is actually important within the storyline. *Example: Rood is 15 and one of the most powerful magicians in the world. Jerkass: A 'Jerkass' is a character who is so completely obnoxious that it is unbelievable anyone would willingly interact with them. *Example: Chevel Phon Hadelio. He not only harasses and bullies Lidusis, he also mind raped him with illusion magic. ::Character Development: ::'Character Development' is, by definition, the change in characterization of a 'Dynamic Character', who changes over the course of a narrative. ::* Example: He gets a little better after a school field trip that goes disastrously wrong. Kick the Son of a Bitch: There's nothing quite so evil as when a character takes a clear step toward villainy and decides to 'Kick the Dog'. Sometimes, though, the kick falls flat—not because it wasn't evil, mind you. *Example: In Chapter 116, Rood chucks his own shoe at Lidusis' 'Jerkass' older brother while he's in the middle of verbally abusing Lidusis, striking him in the face (and subsequently knocking him unconscious with a concussion) in front of a whole auditorium full of people. Of course, Rood thought he was attacking the traitor Lispen, who is an immediate threat to Lidusis's safety, and he panicked when he saw Lis from across the room with someone who looked confrontational. Ironically, he has no idea of the abuse his friend has endured at the hands of his brother, and the latter certainly deserved getting hit. Kid Hero: He'll fight off hordes of monsters with techniques the likes of which master swordsmen would never equal. He'll wield weapons spoken of only in the oldest of legends. He'll save the world and everyone in it from destruction five times over. *Example: Rood looks rather young for his age. Kissed Keepsake: If the object of desire is particularly pleased, affectionate, or otherwise inclined, sometimes they'll give their admirer a kiss — or simply touch them. *Example: The ring Blow poured his magic into in order to help Linus En Grium fend off demons in Ishuella. He still wears it, sealed up, on his finger. Laughing Mad: Trauma and tragedy tend to follow characters like plagues, and they often break them down, turning them into insane, jaded shadows of their former selves. *Example: To nobody's surprise, Shicmuon starts laughing hysterically during the attack on Helios when Rood Awakens in front of him, confirming his 'Secret Identity' as Blow. Little Bit Beastly: These are the most dramatically anthropomorphized characters, who appear virtually human, but feature the added characteristics of an animal's ears and tail. *Example 1: The demons in their human forms are this: Rubymonter has horns, Elzeble has a fox or wolf tail, and Gamode has fish fins. *Example 2: Notably averted by Dio, who takes the form of an ordinary human, likely to blend in and avoid raising suspicions. *Example 3: Van, in his Awakened form, gets dog ears and a tail, earning him the Embarrassing Nickname of "Lanoste's Dog." Living Legend: Some people become famous. They're well known, even if not very much is known about them. *Example: The Black Magician, Blow. AKA Rood. Loads and Loads of Characters: A show that has so many regulars that you can't fit them all into one episode. Therefore, one week some characters will appear, while some different characters will appear in another. *Example: They're all around quite frequently. Thankfully, they're a 'Cast of Snowflakes', and the webtoon is full-color, making it easy to distinguish them. Lonely Rich Kid: If a character is under the age of about 20 or so and their parents have a lot of money. *Example: Lidusis, who's bullied at school and all but ignored at home. His mother even mentions how he gets lonely easily and that she regrets not paying enough attention to him. Loony Fan: A nut who follows the main characters everywhere out of obsessive admiration, either causing trouble or just creeping them out. *Example: Linus for Blow, to the point where he refuses to use the magic Blow gives him even when the alternative is dying. Me Not: A character plucks something in order to predict something. *Example: Shic does a variation of this in his debut appearance when he plucks the leaves from a branch and oscillates between "he'll come" and "he won't come", referring to Blow appearing at the auction house for a mission. Make an Example of Them: This is when a character decides to randomly do something horrendous to set an example or to get a message across. *Example: Professor Heil throws Dio off a cliff to show the rest of the students what happens to people he sees as useless. Too bad he was 'Mugging the Monster', and then 'The Dog Bit Back'. Man Child: Sometimes people just fail to develop into social or intellectual maturity. *Example: Rood's Master. Mind Rape: A character is attacked by a villain in the most painful, non-physical way possible: Their mind and soul are assaulted with painful, horrifying visions, sensations, and/or memories, and their will and sanity broken until afterwards, they're powerless, hopeless and numb, but not dead, although they may wish they were. *Example: Chevel uses illusion magic to attack Lidusis's mental state. Mistaken for Gay: A comedy plot line in which a character wrongly believes another character to be gay, either because of misinformation received or because of the supposedly gay character's own misinterpreted words and actions. *Example: Lidusis gets the wrong idea about his roommate after he wakes up to Rood stripping him. Eventually, Rood has to explain to him that he was merely checking for a magician's mark that he sensed on his body. Mordor: 'Mordor' is a black and bleak type of shadowland. The sun is always hidden behind endless dark storm clouds. *Example: Ishuella apparently used to be habitable, but after a certain incident, the only thing that lives and grows there now is a kind of creepy tree. Furthermore, the sky is perpetually red, and the Tower has forbidden entrance to it. Mugging the Monster: Basically this is when some random crook, and occasionally a pretty stupid one at that, has the misfortune of targeting someone much more powerful than he anticipated. *Example 1: Chevel, a mere magician-in-training, attacks Rood after the latter insults him. Or rather, he tries to attack Rood and predictably doesn't succeed in harming one of the world's most powerful magicians. *Example 2: Professor Heil drops Dio off a cliff, ironically to show what happens to the stupid and weak. Turns out Dio's a powerful dragon demon, and he's not too pleased at the attempt on his life. Our Demons Are Different: An evil spirit or supernatural being. *Example: Most appear to be unintelligent, while others can take human form. Our Dragons Are Different: A mythical being with unknown origins. *Example: Because Dio, the dragon in question, is actually a demon. Papa Wolf: Paternal instinct can transform a 'Bumbling Dad' into an 'Action Dad'. If someone threatens his kids, they will soon wish they'd never come within a mile of them. *Example 1: Marquis Hadelio is one for Chevel, joining both rescue operations in which his son is in danger. His over-protectiveness makes sense, considering he's already lost his daughter. *Example 2: Master toward Rood, who tries his very best to pull Rood out of Helios when it becomes clear that the school can be dangerous for him. Parental Neglect: In fiction, we have parents who are nice and kindly to the protagonists. Then we have those who are downright bastards to the kids. Sometimes, they're not there at all. Other times they try to be there but it doesn't always work. And, finally, we have the parents who are there, but for the most part, don't seem at all interested in their child. *Example: Lidusis was commonly looked over as a child in favor of his much more extroverted and accomplished older brother. Duchess Artian admits that she regrets her lack of involvement in her second son's development. Parental Substitute: A Parental Substitute is an adult friend who fills the children's lonely life with guidance and (often) love. They guide the child and teach them how to stand on their own feet, how to have fun, and how to not be so bothered by the fact that Mommy or Daddy isn't around (or ignores them). *Example: Master towards Rood, especially since Rood has amnesia. Ridiculously Cute Critter: A cute little creature. *Example: Dio in his "baby dragon" form Rich Bitch: Snide, contemptuous and ever-so-superior to coworkers or neighbors, the 'Rich Bitch' is the character you love to hate. *Example: Chevel Phon Hadelio Rich Kids: Characters being young and wealthy tend to have a number of tropes about them. *Example: Most of Helios' students. Rood is sent to Helios to protect a particular 'Lonely Rich Kid' when he accepts a mission from Lidusis's mother. Sadistic Choice: This is a situation in which a character is presented with a choice, any outcome of which causes something bad to happen. *Example: Professor Heil proposes one to Lidusis in Ishuella, giving him the option of saving either Chevel, his tormentor, or the rest of his classmates. Despite everything Chevel has put him through, Lidusis can't bring himself to let him go, even as Chevel commendably tries to get him to do so in order to make the choice easier for him. Sexier Alter Ego: Characters of any gender that have an alternate form or identity that is much sexier than their normal mode. *Example: Blow to Rood. It's mentioned a few times, and it helps that Blow appears several years older than Rood, who still looks like a willowy teenager. Master even exploits this by distributing flyers with a dashing picture of Blow, encouraging clients to come forward to enlist his help, much to Rood's humiliation. Shrinking Violet: The Shrinking Violet is the withdrawn character, usually but not always female, who walks through the school hallways with her head down and wants nothing more than to blend in with the scenery to avoid all attention because she believes that her presence is worthless or unwanted. *Example: Lidusis is a classic example, only male. Stalker Without A Crush: Not all stalkers are motivated by sexual or romantic desires. Some are non-romantically obsessed with someone, some want a favor from someone, some just want to stalk someone for the hell of it, or whatever other motive. *Example 1: Shic toward Blow. It's played for drama slightly less than it's played for comedy. *Example 2: Professor Rowell seems intent on following Rood around in order to learn his secret. Her obsession with him goes far beyond harassment, and this is coming from a teacher, no less! Sleep Cute: A 'Ship Tease' shot of two characters — the 'Official Couple', the official not-a-couple, or just two of the shippers' favorites — sleeping together. *Example: Chapter 72 ends with an absolutely adorable shot of Rood and baby dragon Dio sleeping together. Stock Shoujo Bullying Tactics: In manga, especially Shoujo, bullies tend to read from the same playbook. *Example: A variety are used to bully Lidusis. His classmates refer to him (both to his face and behind his back) as a 'Monster', and collectively ignore him otherwise while spreading rumors behind his back. Take My Hand: 'Take My Hand' moments happen whenever a character is about to fall off a cliff. *Example: Lidusis saves Chevel this way after Professor Heil drops him off a cliff. Chevel eventually forces Lidusis to let go for the sake of their classmates, though he's caught in midair by Blow before he hits the ground. Teens Are Monsters: In their strain to try and be taken seriously, teenagers are susceptible, gullible, and downright dangerous to anyone who wants to manipulate them. *Example: Chevel's harassment and bullying of Lidusis, while the other students do nothing and distance themselves from him instead. The Bad Guys Are Cops: A simple form of 'The Reveal' used to explain why 'Police Are Useless', and why our otherwise normal characters don't simply ask the police to deal with the dangerous criminals. It turns out the police are the criminals. *Example: Lispen seems to think so in regards to the magicians of the Tower, citing this as a reason for Rood not to report him and his true nature to them because doing so would also reveal that Lidusis is the vessel containing the demon king's true power. Lispen informs Rood that if he wants to continue to protect Lidusis, he can't turn him in due to, in his own words, 'Humans Are The Real Monsters' the ugliness of human nature. The Ditz: 'The Ditz' is a character whose defining characteristic is profound stupidity and/or silliness. *Example: Dio Varus, who's dead last in his class and usually sleeping during lessons. He's considered so stupid that he's "killed" by Professor Heil and used as an example to the other students as to why they shouldn't become useless human beings. ::Obfuscating Stupidity: ::Also sometimes known as "playing dumb", a tactic whose effectiveness is predicated on characters convincing others they are complete oafs and therefore harmless. ::*Example: And then this is subverted in Chapter 53 when Dio reveals not only that he's alive after Heil dropped him over the edge of a cliff, but also that he's a powerful dragon demon who later killed Heil in retaliation. The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: One person or group considers another person or group as their rival, and will not allow anyone else to be the one to defeat them. This can sometimes lead to them helping their rival against other enemies, justifying it with a lame excuse, to make sure that they survive until the final battle between the rivals. *Example: Shicmuon will try to murder people who get in the way of his attempts to kill Rood, so it's no surprise that he'll save Rood's life if it looks like he might get killed by someone other than him. The Quiet One: He's not 'The Voiceless'. He's not an 'Ineffectual Loner'. He just rarely talks, so anything he does say carries extra weight. *Example: Lidusis doesn't speak very often, though thanks to Rood's friendship, he's gradually coming out of his shell. Took a Level in Badass: When a usually unnoticed character becomes a person who shines in the spotlight, even if it's only for a moment. *Example: In Chapter 90, Lidusis finally decides he can't stand around and do nothing anymore and takes up a sword against his own servant, Lispen, in order to protect his friend, Dio. ::Lidusis: "Lispen, get away from Dio. This... is an Artian's command." Took a Level in Kindness: A 'Jerkass' softens over time, and becomes either a 'Jerk with a Heart of Gold' or not a jerk at all. Usually this can be due to 'Character Development'. *Example: Chevel does this after the incident in Ishuella. Not only does he stop bullying Lidusis, he even begins to help him out in small ways. Unhand Them, Villain!: So, the villain has taken a hostage, and to make sure the hero understands that this is serious, the villain is holding the hostage off a roof, or over some other height. Usually, in this case, the villain just has one simple, quick request: they want the hero's surrender. The hero gives in to the demand, and then says something along the lines of "Now let him'/'''her go!". *Example: When Professor Heil is dangling Dio Varus by the neck over the edge of a cliff, Chevel demands that he "let him go". He does. Thankfully, Dio turns out to be a dragon demon, so he's able to quite literally "fly it off". '''Unknown Rival:' Two characters can be competing for the same goal, without one of them even aware of the competition. *Example: Shicmuon for Rood. Technically Rood knows who he is, but considers him just an annoying pest, while Shicmuon seems to live for no reason other than to fight Rood. Wizarding School: In ye olden days, people learned skills by being apprenticed to someone, so it was natural to assume that magicians would learn the ropes in the same manner. Then, the modern age saw the rise of public schooling and universities almost completely displace apprenticeship as the means of education. In light of this, some authors decided that the school setting was a viable way to educate their magicians. *Example: Helios is a school for magicians-in-training. Wrong Genre Savvy: Sometimes, you can take being 'Genre Savvy' too far, and wind up having as much 'Genre Blindness' as the poor idiots who split up in a haunted house where one of you is a murderer. *Example: Most of the comedy surrounding Shic's character stems from his conception of himself as Blow's one true rival in a typical Shounen action manga. He's not. You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Though there are plenty of ways to differentiate characters from each other, one of normally limited utility is hair color. *Example: A few Helios students have odd hair colors like blue, pink and green. Category:Content